AI is Coming for Your Decks: The Rise of AI and the Reality There Will Be No Need for DJs

AI is Coming for Your Decks:

The Rise of AI and the Reality There Will Be No Need for DJs

Give a toaster enough time, and it’ll make a beat drop!

Ok, so we may have some time before the latest Phillips toaster can spin the perfect house set whilst simultaneously toasting your crumpets and throwing out cakes and hand hearts, but it’s no secret that AI technology has been advancing quicker than a quick thing at a quickness conventions quickness competition. It’s pretty quick!

As the music industry continues to excitedly fondle the power of AI in one hand, and cup the balls of opportunity in the other, the role of the live DJ and the industry as a whole is under threat. AI-powered music composition tools are already changing the way that music is made, and AI-powered apps are changing the way that music is played. Just like battery powered “massage” devices did years ago, AI is looking to slip in on the action, fulfilling needs and ultimately saturating the market. But can machines really replace the magic of a human performance?

Earlier this month partygoers at a London club danced to AI-generated beats in a unique experimental rave that sought to test whether an app can match the vibe of real-life DJ and mixer. ‘Algorhythm’ – hosted in The Glove That Fits bar – was billed as one of the first of its kind by its promoter George Pinnegar.

The night finished with many having onions opinions on the success or lack of, but generally the response was high, with one partygoer saying “It’s been doing a pretty good job so far, I love you mate, what ya had?”.  DJ Philips Slice Pop-Up Toaster has made an entrance, and the night’s pulsating techno and rhythmic drumbeat was powered by Mubert, the app created by a team of Ukrainian and Russian developers.

So, what does this all mean? Well, for starters, it means that DJs need to start thinking about how they can adapt to this new reality, because whether it be robots dressed in black, staring off into the distance for coolness or scantily clad female robots dancing erratically, and seemingly never in time with the beat, the rise of AI will most certainly have an impact.

When machines are better at creating and playing music than humans, what’s the point of having human DJs? It’s a sad thought, but it’s one that we need to confront if we want to prepare for the future and the cold, dark days when the machines rise up and rinse up. DJs who refuse to embrace this new technology, this new era, risk being left behind and or exterminated!